AFTER our win over Queen's Park Rangers on Tuesday, we decided to stay in the South ahead of our trip to Southampton.

We've been together for four days and that fosters a better spirit and is much more sensible than travelling.

The full squad is here and those involved in Tuesday night's game spent Wednesday having a warm down, a swim and a massage while those who weren't had full training.

Thursday was set aside as a team-building day with group activities such as clay pigeon shooting and basketball and today it was back to full sessions on the training ground.

It is not easy to keep the modern player happy when he is away from home for a long period but many bring their own DVD players and other gadgets to pass the time.

We have chosen to stay at a complex, which offers plenty of recreational activities such as golf, squash, a gym, and a pool as well as great soccer facilities, and I am sure it has helped bonding.

Deserved

The spirit showed itself again at Loftus Road when we were not at our best in terms of the football that we played. But we ground out a result we deserved and kept a clean sheet. What a pity the draw wasn't too kind to us.

Shaun Wright Phillips showed what an improved finisher he has become through his dedication and practice and we will miss him when he is suspended for the next three Premiership games.

Still, his absence at Southampton will give someone else an opportunity in a game that is vital to both sides as we try and stay with the pace.

There is no doubt we were dismal at St Mary's last season. It was perhaps worst effort of the whole campaign. We will have to be much sharper this time against a side showing their high finish in the Premiership and reaching the FA Cup final was no fluke.

Gordon Strachan has moulded a hard working team that has developed a useful winning habit especially at home and one that is spearheaded by a very talented striker in James Beattie.

They give very little away and we know we are going to be in for a real tough battle.

We will need to be at our best, better than Tuesday night, if we are to end a week of travelling on a positive note and go into next week's UEFA Cup tie on a real high note.